Digital IDs to Become Legal in Colorado

State moves to recognize digital forms of ID as authorized and acceptable for use.

We live in a digital world, and Colorado just took another step in the digital direction. Governor Jared Polis announced yesterday that people in Colorado are now legally allowed to use digital forms of their IDs instead of the plastic cards.

Back in 2017, Colorado was one of four states that participated in a digital identification pilot program, and continues to be a leader in the nation in this area with the new Colorado Digital ID. Governor Polis signed an executive order that allowed the use of these digital IDs as a legal form of personal identification within the state. You can read the order in its entirety here.

From the official press release:

“As technology evolves, I’m excited to make sure that government keeps up with the times. We are rapidly moving to support the use of mobile digital identity solutions that allow any of us to verify our identity and conduct business without the need to carry a plastic identification card,” said Gov. Polis. “Colorado continues to be a national leader when it comes to technology. Today I’m excited to announce myColorado, the State of Colorado’s official mobile app, providing residents with secure and convenient identity verification and increasing access to state services anytime, anywhere.”

What It Means and When It Starts

The new authorization on digital forms of ID does not mean we can just take a quick shot of our driver’s licenses and be good to go. The first thing to know is that the executive order was signed on October 30, 2019, and the digital IDs will be accepted by executive branch agencies in the state on December 1, 2019. Secondly, the digital id must be used with the myColorado app.

In the app, state residents can use the Digital ID feature to create an electronic version of their Colorado state-issued ID card or license. Third, and quite important this applies only to the State of Colorado. Also, it's very important to remember that, currently, the digital ID cards will not be accepted by any state law enforcement agency, however, the goal is to have this remedied by November 20, 2020. So if you get pulled over the digital ID will not suffice, so keep that in mind. The digital ID may not be used as a form of federal identification, as those agencies will likely require a physical card.

Once in the app, residents can scan their driver's license into the app and it will create the Colorado Digital ID.

The myColorado app is the official app of the state and allows users to access MVD services, store personal and financial information, keep vehicle registration, get news about the state, and more. You can check it out for yourself and get your digital ID started by visiting myColorado.state.co.us.

The following video explains a little more about how this all works.

In the official order, Governor Polis mentions that Colorado is a forward-moving state and that this new development is part of making the government more efficient and accessible to more people. He also cites the growing movement of digital forms of ID and the increasing number of people in the state using digital wallets for purchases and business.

This is exciting news and means fewer headaches about losing or forgetting your physical ID. What do the good people of Colorado think about this new change? Are you excited to be able to use a digital ID, or are you more comfortable with the plastic card? Sound off in the comments.